Ice-track.



W. J. SHEDD.-

ICE TRACK.' 4 ArrLloATIoN FILED 60T. 9, m1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JL SHEDD, F CHICAG, ILLINOIS, SSIGNOR TO KNICKERBOCKER IGF.' COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OIf ILLINOIS.

y Ion-Tanon.

specification of Letters Patent.'

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Application 'led October 9; 1911. Serial No. 653,528.

To allwlzom it may concern: 'i p ,Ee it. known that IVW1LL1AMJ. SHEDD, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,` in the county of Cook and State of 1`l11nois,rhave invented newand useful Improvementsin Ice-Tracks, of which the follnwingis a. specification.

i vio This invention relates to ice tracks, and has for lts main object to provide a novel track for use in connection with. the handling of cakes of ie, whereby ice cakes may be readily `slid from one position to another,

either in a straight line or 1n an irregular4 line.

In loading a car with ,-ice, cakes of ice are first slid from the platform into the car and thereafter they are slid lengthwise in the car to first ll up the end portions thereof. My invention is particularly adapt ed/ for guiding cakes of ice to move in such manner that a cake may be slid from the lat-form toward the car door and thereafter its course will be directed to a line at right angles to its initial line of movement, whereby it may be delivered to any desired part of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a track of this kind capable of being folded up` into compact space whereby it may be readily transported from one place to another. i

With =these objects and advantages in view, `this invention consists in a track having joints therein whereby it may be caused to assume irreglir lines, and having ice guiding means for engaging cakes of ice and acting as a guide for directing the movement thereof. l

It further 'consists in the several novel fea-tures of constructionl and arrangementhereinafter set fort-h, and particularly defined in theclaims. i The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing furnished herewith, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of one form of my inwntion, showing the same laid down for the purpose of guiding cakes of ice to move' in two different directions, the one being at right angles to the other, Fig. 2 is a detail vertical cross section through one of the members of the track, the line of section being indicated at 2 2, Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of said members, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a connecting link and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a fragment of the track.

connected-together at their ends as for instance by connecting, links 12. The bars 11, are preferably constructed of short metal bars having downwardly projecting prongs 13, that are arranged to sink into the wooden platforms or supports upon which the track is laid-and hold the track in place thereon. .ln the form shown inthe drawing, said prongs are formed by bending down the four corners of the bar, but obviously this particular arrangement is not necessary to the invention broadly considered. Projecting up from each bar l1, is a-n ice guiding member, here shown as comprising a. rib or lin 14, that extends longitudinally of the bar and preferably is centrally located'thereon. It is preferable to make the upper edge of said rib or fin quite sharp in order that it may bite into the cake of ice traveling over the same, and guide said ice cake `in a line parallel with the bar, and the ends of the rib "e shown as beveled oif so as to remove the sharp corners wl ich would otherwise be presented at the ends of said ribs. The bars 11. are 'provided near their ends with holes 15, for receiving rivets or the like 16, that pivotally connect said'bars with the Aconnecting links 12; said rivets passing through holes 17, in the connecting links and through ythe holes 15, in the bars 11.

The parts are so proportioned, and the rivet .holes 17, of the links 12, so spaced apart as to permit the bars 11, to 'be folded up vinto the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The end bar 10, at the initial end vof the track isI preferably provided v. ith one or more holes 18, through which a nail or spike may be drlven into the platform below, so as to fasten said bar in place t In operation thetrack 1s unfolded and laid down upon the platform or other su port over which it is desired to move tie cakes of ice. For instance if it is desired to load a car with ice, the initial end, lettered a, is laid upon the platform in a line approximately at right anglesl'to the car, and the end I), carried in through the car door and laid longitudinally of the car, the bars .between the two straight right angled portions assuming a long broken curved line.4 The initial end is then spiked down to the platform and the track is ready for use. A cake of ice is pushed upon the rib or fin 14, of the initial bar and given a shove toward the car, and by reason of the comparatively sharp edge of the ribs or fins of the bars, the cake of ice follows the line assumed by Said bars, passing along the bent portion of the track and continuing along the'straight portion 7), within the car. I have found that by arranging one or more of the bars at right angles to the line of the track, it

affords 'a stop for arresting the movementof the cake of ice at the delivery end of the track and in 'the drawing have shown 'the end bar as turned at right angles to the main portion of the track within the car. As rapidly as the end of the car is filled with ice, the end bars may be folded up as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so as to reduce the length of the track and affording a. stopping place farther away from the end ofthe car. then the car is loaded the track may be wholly folded up and removed, or that part of theitrack within the car may be folded-up and a second car moved in place of the first car andthe end of the track laid in said second car. i

It is preferable to make the track in lengths of about 16 feet, although this of course is unnecessary to the invention', broadly considered, but is a very convenient one for handling ice on a platform and delivering it into the car. The links 12, are preferably made of steel in order that they may bend slightly, to accommodate the track to'any unevenness of the platform or floor upon which it is placed. Said links are located below the 'upper edges of the ribs or fins 14, so as not to interfere with the movement of the ice. l

l realize. that various alterations and Vmodifications of this device are possible a cake of ice slid upon the track and thereby guide the same along the line of the track.

Q. An ice track comprising a plurality of bars each formed on its upper side with an ice guiding rib having' a sharp ridge at its upper edge, and with floor gripping prongs on its lower side; and connecting links between said bars, and located below the upper edges of the ice guiding ribs, said connecting links being loosely pivoted to said bars. I3. )in ice track comprising a plurality of pivotally connected bars, each formed with a v central.` longitudinally extending ice guiding rib having a sharp edge at its top, and the corners of each bar being bent down to forni floor gripping prongs.

et. As a new article of manufacture, an ice track section comprising a bar formed ou its upper side with a longitudinal ice guiding rib having a sharp upper edge` at its top, and downturned, floor gripping prongs on its lower side.

ln witness whereof, l have hereunto signed my name at Chicago, Cook county, l llinois., this L.ith day of October 1911.

l/Vll'iLIAM J. SHEDD. Witnesses JonN P. BIGKINLEY, Cimumls O. Smcnvnr. 

